Helping Our Kids Stay Catholic

I've always loved this quote from Fran Crotty's Implementation of Ignatian Education in the Home :

"It should be the objective and is definitely the responsibility of every rational Catholic mother and father to see that the child is educated, so that he can be truly Catholic with the consent of all his faculties."

There is so much depth in this quote about what our most basic duties to our children are and goes so much deeper than typical homeschool chatter about what books to use and "how much better off our kids are than public school kids".

On a simple level, he's saying that we have to help our kids want to be Catholic, even when they grow up and are no longer under our guidance and direction. If you don't achieve that, you really haven't realized your most basic goals as parents and educators. (I wouldn't go so far as to say you've failed, because the story isn't necessarily over at that point).

I am shocked and saddened at the number of my own Catholic friends and aquaintances who were homeschooled but who are not practicing their faith today. Most of these were using Catholic homeschool programs. Raising our children is about a lot more than just using the right books. Without getting into all the details, I'd like to present some ideas for helping our children stay Catholic in a tough world...

a) Live a life consistent with Catholic principles
There is almost no more sure way to have our children lose their faith than to firmly teach them Catholic principles and then ignore them ourselves. Consider issues like: honesty, integrity, the unity of faith and reason, the fact that we need to pray AND work to live life well and to solve family problems. What kind of priorities do we show by the way we live our lives? Are we generous to those in need? Are we living a life consistent with the Gospels? While protecting children from the "outside world" are we exposing them to greater evils in our own homes?

"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him!" Luke 12:4-5 (RSVCE)

b) Be Faithful to the Church and the Pope, even when it's tough
The Catholic Church is managed by human beings. They're not perfect. The Church has struggled with many problems in the last 50 years or so. We can't ignore these. But we can stay faithful to the Church despite these. Here is a great quote from The Ratzinger Report on the need for holiness today...

"Hence, true 'reform' does not mean to take great pains to erect new facades (contrary to what certain ecclesiologies think). Real 'reform' is to strive to let what is ours disappear as much as possible so what belongs to Christ may become more visible. It is a truth well known to the saints. Saints, in fact, reformed the Church in depth, not by working up plans for new structures, but by reforming themselves. What the Church needs in order to respond to the needs of man in every age is holiness, not management." (from page 53)

Study some history to get a sense of the terrible things that have gone on within the Church throughout history. This perspective helps to hang on to what is true and good and to have hope and trust in the words of Jesus to St. Peter in Matthew 16:17-19:

"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (RSVCE)

c) Teach them the Faith
Educate yourself and help your children see the reasonableness of Church teaching. Help them prepare to apply it to their own lives as adults. Learn the basics and the heart and soul behind it. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an essential in every home. Read it and discuss it with your spouse and your older children. Be sure your children have a solid foundation in Catholic teaching on morality - particularly the life issues - before they leave home. The perspective gained from studying history and the "virtual" life experience formed by reading great classic literature have an important role in reinforcing the faith and giving life to Church teaching.

d) A Question of the Will
In our era of cheap material goods, it is particularly difficult to avoid spoiling our children. Material goods aren't evil in and of themselves, but we have to help our children keep their spiritual lives healthy and exercise their wills. Even on a natural level, weak-willed people are not happy.

Here is a consideration from The Ratzinger Report to apply to ourselves as adults:

" It is necessary to rediscover the corporeal aspect of the Faith: abstention from food is one of those aspects. Sexuality and nourishment are among the fundamental elements of the physicality of man. In our time, the decline in the understanding of virginity goes hand in hand with the decline in the understanding of fasting. And these two declines have a single root: the present-day eclipse of the eschatalogical tension, that is, the tension of Christian faith toward eternal life." (pg. 113-114)

This sheds some light on the Church regulations about fasting and abstaining from meat during certain days of Lent. It is intended as a minimum exercise in willpower to commerate the sufferings of Christ. Even for those who are unable to participate in fasting (such as pregnant women) related sacrifices are acceptable to Church teaching and have similar effect, such as: abstaining from sweets and having only water to drink on those days.

How does this apply to our own children? Regulations on fasting purposely avoid young children. Growing bodies need consistent, wholesome food. I suggest starting by explaining the concept of exercising their Will just as they exercise their body to make it stronger. They can exercise their will by choosing to not have something they want, giving in to a dispute with a sibling or by doing something nice for someone that they don't have to. This is a most beautiful story for teaching this:

"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King wil say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee? And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'" (Matthew 25: 31-40)

d) The Benefit of a Catholic College
I know many families (including my own) for which attending a truly Catholic College has been a huge factor in the children retaining their Catholic identity as adults. In my own childhood, my oldest sister's decision to attend the St. Ignatius Institute at the University of San Francisco had an enormous impact on our entire family. We were a devout Catholic family before that time, but this added a whole new dimension to our understanding of the Faith, our sense of community within the Church, and much more. Students at such schools get a chance to study the Faith in enough depth to see how reasonable it is and to develop lifelong friends who are commited to the Faith as well.

More later...

My Very Favorite Children's Books (Picture Books)

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
The Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie de Paola
A Day on Skates by Hilda Van Stockum
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Cathedral by David Macaulay
World of Language Series by Ruth Heller
Angel in the Waters by Regina Doman
Children's Book of Heroes edited by William Bennett
Angus and the Ducks by Marjorie Flack
Mary: The Mother of Jesus by Tomie de Paola
The Clown of God by Tomie de Paola
The Miracle of St. Nicholas by Gloria Whelan
The Fussy Angel by Mary Arnold
Pamela Walks the Dog by Christina Marlin

From the Let's Read-And-Find-Out Science Series:

Why Do Leaves Change Color?
The Moon Seems to Change
Sunshine Makes the Seasons
Animals in Winter
Snow is Falling
How Do Birds Find Their Way?
How Do Apples Grow?
and others

Queries about Books

OK, the blog has been a little slow lately (been too busy at love2learn.net), but I found this over at GKC's Favourite and thought it looked like fun...

1. Total Number of Books I've Owned:
Yikes, I have no idea as we haul them in and out of here pretty fast all the time. Probably about 4000 in the house presently. Owned - total - maybe 6000.

2. Last Book I Bought
Energy Makes Things Happen (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, illustrated by Paul Meisel

3. Last Book I Read
The Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton

4. Five Books That Mean a Lot to Me (besides the Bible):

I'm going to cheat here and give myself a few categories...

Religious Non-Fiction:
On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Vision Book Series from Ignatius Press
The Restoration of Christian Culture by John Senior
The Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie de Paola

Literature:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Father Brown Stories by G.K. Chesterton
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Authors:
G.K.Chesterton
Hilda Van Stockum
J.R.R. Tolkien
Cardinal Ratzinger
C.S. Lewis
William Shakespeare (but who's counting?)

5. Tag five people and have them do this on their blog. Okay - you're officially invited to partake in this very interesting, but nearly impossible exercise (well, at least the last part), but only five of you mind you!

All is as it should be

I just returned yesterday from a trip "home" (where I grew up) to the San Francisco Bay Area to visit with some family and friends.

One reason for the trip was to visit my Aunt who is on her deathbed. She was a great mentor to me, particularly in high school and was interested in everything good. She nurtured my interest in family history and faraway places. Her home is filled with photographs of her large family and her small yard is filled with potted plants that she took great care of - including a beautiful Bonsai tree!

I wouldn't have recognized her on the street - she is so thin and frail now, missing her trademark glasses and librarian-style glasses chain. She does not open her smiling eyes any more. She sleeps most of the time. I did not hear her friendly voice. She wears a small scapular around her neck as she lies in the hospital bed in her home. I recognize a crucifix lying on her chest that has been touched to the bones of the Jesuit martyrs - this has been in our family for many years.

We were there on her 74th birthday - from all over the world. Her son from Indonesia where he is working to provide clean water to the locals; children and grandchildren, siblings and several nieces. We met at her house, ate her favorite foods, looked at old photographs, talked and laughed. Children ran around the house in pirate costumes and wrestled in the front yard. They were in and out of her room saying hello and goodbye. We lit the candles on the birthday cake and brought it into her room. We all sang happy birthday. The children blew out the candles and we all cried.

And I said to my brother-in-law as we left the house that night ...
All is as it should be.

My Aunt Theresa Mary Ainslie died the following day - May 18, 2005. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

Books I'm Currently Reading

• The Intellectual Life: Its Spirits, Conditions, Methods by A.G. Sertillanges, O.P.


• Charles Dickens: The Last of the Great Men by G.K. Chesterton


• Back to the Family by Dr. Ray Guarendi


• Language Police by Diane Ravitch


• Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment by Thomas Dubay, S.M.


• How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas E. Woods


• Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome by Liane Holliday Willey

Current Read-Alouds:

• Father Damien and the Bells (Vision Series)


• Down to the Bonny Glen by Melissa Wiley

I'm reading the Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton...

In order to review the corresponding "Catholic Great Book Study Guide" by Julie Collorafi (Guadalupe Press, available from Catholic Heritage Curricula)

I haven't tackled the study guide yet, but I'm halfway through the ballad and I'm totally loving it (and I don't consider myself to be very poetically inclined).

It is written in the form of an epic poem - the sort that would have been performed aloud to an audience in days gone by.

The story is about King Alfred battling the Danes in 878. It is an interesting mix of history, legend, and allegory. I'm especially enjoying the mix of truth and beauty in many "nuggets" of wisdom within the ballad. I keep reading passages aloud to my daughter (we will be studying it more throughly together next year) and she likes it too.

Here are a few samples...

"The men of the East may spell the stars,
And times and triumphs mark,
But the men signed of the cross of Christ
Go gaily in the dark. " (230)

[I first came across this quote in Shadow of the Bear by Regina Doman.]

"When God put man in a garden
He girt him with a sword,
And sent him forth a free knight
That might betray his lord;

He brake Him and betrayed Him,
And fast and far he fell,
Till you and I may stretch our necks and burn our beards in hell.

But though I lie on the floor of the world,
With the seven sins for rods,
I would rather fall with Adam
Than rise with all your gods." (305-310)

"That on you is fallen the shadow,
And not upon the Name;
That though we scatter and though we fly,
And you hang over us like the sky,
You are more tired of victory,
Than we are tired of shame." (330)

"Our monks go robed in rain and snow,
But the heart of flame therein,
But you go clothed in feasts and flames,
When all is ice within;

Nor shall all iron dooms make dumb
Men wondering ceaselessly,
If it be not better to fast for joy
Than feast for misery." (350-355)

"Therefore your end is on you,
Is on you and your kings,
Not for a fire in Ely fen,
Not that your gods are nine or ten,
But because it is only Christian men
Guard even heathen things.

For our God hath blessed creation,
Calling it good. I know
What spirit with whom you blindly band
Hath blessed destruction with his hand;
Yet by God's death the stars shall stand
And the small apples grow." (370-375)

Lecturing and Parenting Don't Mix

This is such a great article - funny and so true - I just had to share it...

http://www.drray.com/parentingtips/speak.htm

The Other Stem Cells

Many people are aware of the ethical problems (or at least controversies) with embryonic stem cell research. Basically, it involves the destruction of the very smallest form of human life. It is at the moment of conception that body and soul come together and become a new life. That immortal soul that God instills in the new human being makes it, not only unique and precious, but completely distinct in kind from animal life.

This controversy has hit close to home for me recently since my best friend from high school (we were homeschooled together) - a young mother in her mid thirties with three small children - was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS - commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease"). This is a terrible degenerative disease for which there is no known cure and which is usually fatal in 3-5 years, but one that many are supporting stem cell research for in hopes of a cure.

There are two important things about stem cell research that are not commonly known:

The first is that embryonic stem cells have not yet shown much, if any, prospects of actually helping those whom researchers are hoping to help...

http://www.stemcellresearch.org/


The second is that, although different in kind from embryonic stem cells, the stem cells found in a newborn baby's umbilical cord have shown a great deal of promise with no ethical problems whatsoever...

http://www.cordblooddonor.org/

This seems like a no brainer. Pro-lifers who want to encourage an alternative to embryonic stem cell research should support cord blood donation. Anyone who wants to support research to treat debilitating diseases should support this very promising venue. It's just a good idea. If you are expecting a baby, please research the possibility of donating your baby's umbilical cord through the link above.

Prayers would be very much appreciated for my friend and her family. I will be flying to California soon (with my 15 month old son) to visit her.

Articles of interest...

"Wonders of Science" by Steve Kellmeyer

Donated Umbilical Cords Could Save Thousands of Lives

Books I'm Currently Reading..

The Story of the Greeks by H.A. Guerber

String, Straightedge and Shadow: The Story of Geometry by Julia Diggins

The Ratzinger Report Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and Vittorio Messori

The Art of Construction by Mario Salvadori

The 10 Things All Future Mathematicians and Scientists Must Know by Edward Zaccaro

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero-Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

Young Faces of Holiness by Ann Ball

The Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton

In the Beginning... A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger

Movies and Kids

Raising six kids in the modern world, you get lots of opportunities to consider influences like television and movies. Many parents are rightly concerned about avoiding violence, bad language and sexual content.

These are important considerations and the age and maturity of the child need to be considered as well. Not all parents think about these issues. I'll never forget our upstairs neighbor in one of our apartments mentioning to me that she let her two year old watch Jurassic Park because "she really wanted to see it." Not surprisingly, the poor child suffered from nightmares for quite some time after this foolish caving-in to her wishes. (Another neighbor in that same building encouraged her three year old daughter to look sexy.)

There is a certain feeling on one side of the issue that you shouldn't shelter your children, period. I think when it comes down to it, many parents who consider themselves in this category do shelter and protect their children to some degree and wouldn't let their two year olds watch Jurassic Park. I think it would be helpful for them to see that there's a big difference between sheltering and protecting their children as necessary and some sort of philosophy of isolationISM. (It is easy for people to lash out against extremes rather than rationally consider a position that is good and healthy for their children.)

Sometimes these shocking incidents and the shocking content found in many movies and video games harms our culture on another level as well. We become so attuned to avoiding this bad stuff that we miss a number of considerations on a deeper level.

Kicking the T.V. habit My husband and I (generation Xers) both grew up watching a LOT of television. This habit (as well as the habit of considering news-watching a helpful way of gathering information) is pretty ingrained in us. We're trying to break that up a bit for our own children. By avoiding cable and watching movies instead of TV shows we have generally steered away from viewing as a habit (as well as having more choices in what we watch).

There is some evidence that extensive amounts of electronic stimulation in the early years can have a negative impact on brain development - not necessarily affecting intelligence, but possibly more in the area of behavior. I wonder if some children are more susceptible to harm from this than others (such as hyperactive types).

Clean = good? When we come across a book or movie that is "clean" (i.e., no bad language, violence or sex) we might be tempted to embrace it as good. But this gives us no assurance that the movie is worthwhile! Is it true, good, beautiful? Is it presenting ideas or conflicts that are inappropriate for the child's maturity and understanding? Does it gloss over issues that are more complex and can lead to moral confusions later on? In some ways, I think parents feel pressured to support "clean" films because "that's what we've been fighting for, isn't it?" I think an appropriate word to consider is whether the movie is worthwhile.

One pet peeve of mine is religious children's materials that are ugly (not necessarily by intention). We recently watched an EWTN animated video called First Communion. It was incredibly ugly (the worst animation I've ever seen, bar none) and kind of a strange plot-line for young children anyway. This is not how I want my children to learn their faith. (And I am grateful to EWTN for many things - but I think this video is just bad.)

Someone gave us the Baby Mozart video and CD a number of years ago. This too was a great disappointment - it sounded like a good idea. Unfortunately, all of the music is "dumbed down" to sound more to our ears like children's music (using different instruments and such). I thought the whole idea of the Mozart Effect was that real Mozart music was good for kids! To make things worse, the video, in addition to the super-sappy versions of Mozart's works, had images of toys going back and forth across the screen as its visuals. It was a glorified toy catalog! (Complete with information on where to purchase the toys at the end of the catalog.)

Movies as Babysitters I've always been turned off to the idea of plunking the kids down in front of movies for long periods of time to keep them content. I have to admit to trying it out in occasional moments of desperation - especially early on before ANY of them had reached the "age of reason" and we lived in a small house where we had to sit-out long, cold Wisconsin winters. What we found was that increased amounts of television/video viewing (even stuff we considered worthwhile) had a significant negative impact on their behavior. It became very clear to me early on that saying no to frequent requests to watch movies made my kids happier, even in the short run.

Motivation in Other Areas Watching videos is still a treat for the kids and we've acquired a nice collection to watch when we choose (we've never had cable) and we also subscribe to a DVD rental service. One of the simplest motivations to complete schoolwork is that movies and computer time are not available until after they complete required assignments.

We love movies and especially watching movies and documentaries with our children. They can be a nice way to get the children interested in a particular topic (and learn more about it ourselves in short order e.g. the Building Big with David Macaulay series) They are nice opportunities for conversation because everyone can be involved. We aren't total snobs - nothing is really perfect. We will overlook some bad acting and bad sets to appreciate a true story (e.g. The Great Escape). We might appreciate some movies for the beautiful scenery and language even if the plot is a little inaccurate compared with the book (e.g. I Am David). Some movies are just for the laughs (e.g. You Can't Take it With You). I think there are just too many good movies out there to waste time on ones that are not worthwhile on some level and there are too many better things to do in life than to spend too much of it watching movies.

These articles may be of interest...

"Children and Computers" by Jane Healy

CyberTots: Technology and the Preschool Child" by Jane Healy

Computers and Television Before Bedtime

"Brain Development" by Karen DeBord

A few of our family's favorite movies (we have rather eclectic tastes)...

Ben Hur (1958 - needs some editing for little ones)

The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (so much more beautiful than the animated one - still very enjoyable for children)

Building Big with David Macaulay a five disc DVD set (Bridges, Tunnels, Domes, Skyscrapers and Dams) - originally broadcast on PBS

The Lord of the Rings (extended editions - needs editing for smaller children - the adults around here are a little tired of them, though)

Darby O'Gill and the Little People (our favorite Disney movie)

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

Pride of the Yankees (the story of Lou Gehrig - especially touching now that I have a good friend with ALS)

Prince of Egypt and Joseph King of Dreams (some of the nicest animation I've seen)

The Quiet Man (John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara)

Pride and Prejudice (BBC/A&E)

Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant et al.)

You Can't Take it With You (Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur)

The Song of Bernadette

Jesus of Nazareth

Much Ado About Nothing (Kenneth Brannaugh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, et al. - needs some editing for children)

More from the Ratzinger Report

Just wanted to jot down a few important quotes - and hope to add more comments later...

To return to christology: there are those who say that difficulties have arisen also because that reality which theology has called 'original sin' is forgotten or denied. Indeed some theologians have made their own the schema of an enlightenment a la Rousseau, with the dogma that lies at the base of modern culture - capitalist or marxist - that of the man good by nature who is corrupted only by false education and by social structures in need of reform. If one wants to change the 'system', everything must be properly ordered, and man could then live in peace with himself and with others.

His reply: 'If Providence will some day free me of my obligations, I should like to devote myself precisely to the theme of original sin and to the necessity of rediscovery of its authentic reality. In fact, if it is no longer understood that man is in a state of alienation (that is not only economic and social and, consequently, one that is not resolvable by his efforts alone), one no longer understands the necessity of Christ the Redeemer. The whole structure of the faith is threatened by this. The inability to understand original sin and to make it understandable is really one of the most difficult problems of present-day theology and pastoral ministry. (page 78-79)

for the Church the language of nature (in our case, two sexes complementary to each other yet quite distinct) is also the language of morality (man and woman called to equally noble destinies, both eternal, but different). (pgs. 97-98)

The correct Marian devotion guarantees to faith the coexistence of indispensable 'reason' with the equally indispensable 'reasons of the heart', as Pascal would say. For the Church, man is neither mere reason nor mere feeling, he is the unity of these two dimensions. The head must reflect with lucidity, but the heart must be able to feel warmth: devotion to Mary (which 'avoids every false exaggeration on the one hand, and excessive narrow-mindedness in the contemplation of the surpassing dignity of the Mother of God on the other', as the Council urges) thus assures the faith its full human dimension.(pg. 108)

It is necessary to rediscover the corporeal aspect of the Faith: abstention from food is one of those aspects. Sexuality and nourishment are among the fundamental elements of the physicality of man. In our time, the decline in the understanding of virginity goes hand in hand with the decline in the understanding of fasting. And these two declines have a single root: the present-day eclipse of the eschatalogical tension, that is, the tension of Christian faith toward eternal life. (pg. 113-114)

This makes so much sense to me on a practical level as well. Our will needs to be exercised in order to keep things like sexuality in check, given our fallen nature. The habit of fasting has the practical application of preparing and strengthening us to say "no" to ourselves in other places as well.

We have lost the sense that Christians cannot live just like 'everybody else.' The foolish idea according to which there is no specific Christian morality is only an expression of the loss of a basic concept: what is 'distinctively Christian' with respect to the models of the 'world.' Even in some religious orders and congregations true reform has been exchanged for the relaxtion of traditional austerity until then in practice. Renewal has been exchanged for comfort. (page 115)

It follows...that we must be far more resolute than heretofore in opposing rationalistic relativism, confusing claptrap and pastoral infantilism. These things degrade the liturgy to the level of a parish tea party and the intelligibility of the popular newspaper. (page 121)

25 Ways to Inspire a Love of Learning in Your Children

This was the love2learn handout at the Milwaukee Catholic Homeschool conference. Sometimes it's the "little things" that help to strengthen faith and family...

25 Ways to Inspire a Love of Learning in Your Children

1. Go outside and look at the stars together. Learn the names of a few of the constellations.
2. Play with your children – sports, legos, board games, hide-and-seek, etc.
3. Educational DVDs & videos can be a good way to get them interested in a new Science or History topic. (use the “pause” button to stop and chat)
4. Children love “real” things. Let them help you with real jobs and house projects.
5. Play “the stair game” – quiz your children on anything and let them take a step forward with each correct answer.
6. Go to the beach (forest, pond, desert) and draw pictures of what you find.
7. Attend a concert -- community orchestra or band types are especially family friendly!
8. Attend sports matches – especially community ones.
9. Plan ahead for an art museum trip by introducing each child to a beautiful painting they can search for once you arrive.
10. Spend time with other families who love learning.
11. Shoot a game of pool and discuss the geometry you are using.
12. Pop a batch of popcorn and sit down to a good family read aloud.
13. Go on an adventure walk in your own neighborhood. Bring water bottles and magnifying glasses!
14. Have Grandpa or Grandma teach you a new card game.
15. Set up a book club with a couple of friends and their moms or dads.
16. Choose a country and find recipes native to that place. Invite several friends to do the same, and get together for a day of ethnic cooking.
17. Take a class yourself -- community college? online? -- and share what you are learning with your children.
18. Join another family for an afternoon of crafts or board games.
19. Learn to count to ten in a foreign language.
20. Plant a garden. Have a contest to see who can grow the tallest sunflower.
21. Visit museums, zoos and libraries together.
22. Have some special outings with one child at a time.
23. Talk about their studies around the dinner table.
24. Hang maps on your walls.
25. Let your children see that you love learning too.

What Brideshead Revisited character are you?

You are Lady Cordelia Flyte. You are loving and
loyal. You're not a sentimental dowdy
however: you have a lively sense of humor and
keen intellect.
What Brideshead Revisited character are you?
(found this on Barb Nicolosi's blog)

We've been studying Ancient Greece...

The six-part documentary In Search of Troy by Michael Wood (may need some slight editing for children - mostly a piece of the introductory sequence to each episode) turned out to be an excellent introduction for all of us. It doesn' t overview all of ancient Greek history by any means, but visiting many of the archaeological sites and hearing stories about important people and places helped develop interest in the beginning and make connections as we proceeded to read various books.

My 6th grader enjoyed Hittite Warrior soon afterwards and understood it better than I had done when I read it a few years earlier - so many of the names and sites mentioned in there had come up in the documentary.

The 1st and 3rd graders also listened in on Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff and the 6th grader followed it up with The Wanderings of Odysseus by the same author.

As a family we've been reading:

String Straightedge and Shadow: The Story of Geometry by Julia Diggins
This delightfully brings together threads about knowledge and learning in the Ancient World with a wonderful sense of the order and beauty of mathematics(haven't finished this one yet - there is one strange little thread about a secret society that might make some uncomfortable)

The Story of the Greeks by H.A. Guerber
Interesting and substantial overview of Ancient Greece for children (haven't finished this one either but I like it a lot. The piece on Sparta mentions infanticide - not approvingly, but still disturbing - that was practiced by the Ancient Greeks. Might be best as a read-aloud for younger children.)

Stories from Herodotus by Glanville Downey illustrated by Enrico Arno
We LOVED this one. Herodotus is so fascinating already (read him in college), but not suitable for children in length, complexity or some mature content. This edition brings together many of the most interesting stories (focusing on the Persian Wars and especially the battles of Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis). To me this highlighted some of the best content about Ancient Greece for children. Even stories involving oracles and pagan gods provided thoughtful content for my children as there tended to be warnings about the arrogance of those seeking the gods' advice and confusion regarding its implementation. This again was a great read-aloud and we enjoyed discussing little tidbits - humorous, clever, etc. - along the way. We found this at our local library, it is currently out of print.

D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths - This seems to be universally considered the best introduction to Greek Mythology for children. Even my high school Latin students, who needed an overview of Mythology for the National Latin Exam this spring, used this book for a quick review. My husband read this aloud to the children at bedtime during our Greek study.

My 6th grader also read:

The Tale of Troy by Roger Lancelyn Green
Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green
selections from All Ye Lands (Catholic Textbook Project) for a helpful overview/review of the time period.

These Have Shaped My Educational Philosophy...

Catechism of the Catholic Church
Declaration on Christian Education (Vatican II)
Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum by Laura Berquist
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
Familiaris Consortio by Pope John Paul II
For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Gospel, Catechesis, Catechism by Cardinal Ratzinger
Handing on the Faith in an Age of Disbelief by Cardinal Ratzinger and others
Implementation of Ignatian Education in the Home by Francis Crotty
Letter to Families by Pope John Paul II
Lives of the Saints
Love and Family by Mercedes Arzu Wilson
Miracle Worker (movie - 1962)
Montessori Read and Write by Lynne Lawrence
On Christian Education by Pope Pius XI
The Holy Bible
The Restoration of Christian Culture by John Senior
Writings of G.K. Chesterton
Writings of Maria Montessori
Writings of Ruth Beechick

Books I've Read

(not all are recommended!)

2012: (in progress!)

Manalive by G.K. Chesterton;
Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto;
Work Hard. Be Nice. How Two Inspired Teachers Created the Most Promising Schools in America by Jay Matthews;
Seek First the Kingdom: Challenging the Culture by Living Our Faith by Cardinal Wuerl;
Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl;
Style, Sex and Substance: 10 Catholic Women Consider the Things That Really Matter ed. Hallie Lord
Celiac Disease for Dummies by Ian Blumer and Sheila Crowe

2011:

South of Broad, Pat Conroy;
Exiles, Ron Hansen;
Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends;
Isn't it Romantic, Ron Hansen;
Hitler's Niece, Ron Hansen;
Story of a Soul, St. Therese;
Jesus of Nazareth Part 2;
As I Am, Patricia Neal;
Schooled, Gordon Korman;
How to Eat A Small Country, Amy Finley;
The King's Speech, Mark Logue;
The World is Bigger Now, Euna Lee;
Patriotic Grace, Peggy Noonan;
A Man Named Dave, Dave Pelzer;
A Wild Surge of Guilty Passion, Ron Hansen;
Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy;
39 Clues, Books 1-11; 39 Clues Series 2, Book 1-2;
Winter in Wartime, Jan Terlouw;
fathermothergod: My Journey Out of Christian Science;
The Anatomy of Peace (Arbinger Institute);
The Help, Kathryn Stockett;
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins;
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins;
Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins


What the Family/Kids Have Read: (currently way out of date)

What we read 2007-2008

What we read 2006-2007

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Completed Book Lists 2006-2007 school year

Not necessarily a complete list... (I have to look through things again to make sure I didn't forget any AND Ria and Gus are both finishing up a few things for this year).

Ria (9th grade)

Animal Farm by George Orwell
Anne of Avonlea
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Ingleside
Anne of the Island
Anne of Windy Poplars
Anne's House of Dreams
Blessed Marie of New France by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Deus Caritas Est by Pope Benedict XVI
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Refuting the Attack on Mary by Fr. Mateo
Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green
The Girl of Pierre's by R. Davis
The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Word to Caesar by Geoffrey Trease
Becky Landers: Frontier Warrior
Fanny Allen, Green Mountain Rebel
Rainbow Valley
Red Falcons of Tremoine
Sacramentum Caritatis
Sand County Almanac
The Acts of the Apostles
The American Revolution (Landmark)
The Gospel of Luke
The Neverending Story
The Rose Round
The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow
The Winged Watchman
They Loved to Laugh
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Under a Changing Moon

Gus: Independent Reading (5th grade)

Eats, Shoots and Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference!
Journey to Monticello
Sherlock Holmes Mysteries: The Speckled Band, The Engineer's Thumb, The Case of the Orange Pips

Gus: Listening List (5th grade)

A Christmas Carol (Focus on the Family Dramatization)
A Day on Skates
Huckleberry Finn
Johnny Tremain
Rocket Boys
The 101 Dalmatians
The Adventures of Saints Peter and Paul
The Gammage Cup
The Man Who Was Thursday
The Mystery of the Periodic Table
The Penderwicks
The Return of the King
The Two Towers
The Winged Watchman
Tom Sawyer

Terri (3rd grade)

A Seed is Sleepy
An Egg is Quiet
Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill
Betsy, Tacy and Tibb
Betsy-Tacy
Great Illustrated Classics: A Christmas Carol
Great Illustrated Classics: Black Beauty
Great Illustrated Classics: Little Women
Great Illustrated Classics: Robin Hood
The Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica
The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle
The Story of Holly and Ivy
These Are Our Neighbors
This is Our Parish

Bernie (1st grade)

An Egg is Quiet
Animal Tracks
Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons
Eats, Shoots, and Leaves: Why, Commas Really Matter!
Faith and Life Book 1
First Communion Days
Just Like Mary
The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics

Partial List of Catechism/Apologetics Reference Books for Teen Discussions

Beginning Apologetics Series (San Juan Catholic Seminars)
Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating
Pastoral and Occasional Sermons by Fr. Ronald Knox
Pope Fiction by Patrick Madrid
Refuting the Attack on Mary by Fr. Mateo
(Catholic Answers) The Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church and the Bible by Fr. Peter M.J. Stravinskas
The Fathers of the Church: An Introduction to the First Christian Teachers by Mike Aquilina
The Holy Bible - Douay Rheims Version
The Ignatius Bible
The One-Minute Apologist by Dave Armstrong
Unabridged Christianity: Biblical Answers to Common Questions About the Roman Catholic Faith by Fr. Mario Romero

Never Complete List of Curriculum That We Use

Art of Construction by Mario Salvadori
Audio Books
Bethlehem Books
Blue Number Counting Book
Bob Books
Building Big
Catholic Heritage Curricula
Catholic Textbook Project
Cursive Connections
Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum
Faith and Life Series
Friendly Defenders
Fun Geography Sites
G.K. Chesterton
Henle Latin
Key-to Algebra
Kolbe Academy
Latina Christiana
Learning Palettes
Learning Wrap-Ups
Let's Read-and-Find-Out Science
Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization
Lyrical Life Science
Map Skills - Continental Press
Math U See
Northern Rain Studio
Reading Your Way Through History
Red Letter Alphabet Book
Saint Joseph Messenger
StartWrite
The Phonetic Zoo
Thinkfun Games
Vision Books
William Shakespeare
Windeatt Saint Stories

Great Science Books for Kids

In no particular order yet...

The Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin Wiker
DK Handbooks: Birds of the World
DK Space Encyclopedia by Nigel Henbest
Fabre's Book of Insects by Jean Henri Fabre
Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick
Galen and the Gateway to Medicine by Jeanne Bendick
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky
Rocket Boys: A Memoir by Homer Hickham (audio book more suitable for children than unabridged)
Great Lives: Invention and Technology by Milton Lomask
Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey
The Stars: A New Way to See Them by H.A. Rey
My First Body Book by Christopher Rice
Incredible Comparisons by Russell Ash
How We Learned the Earth is Round by Patricia Lauber
Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro
Switch on, Switch off by Melvin Berger
How do Birds Find Their Way? by Roma Gans
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft
How do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro
The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn Branley
What Makes Day and Night? by Franklyn Branley
How the Weather Works by Michael Allaby
Stories in Stone: The World of Animal Fossils by Jo S. Kittinger
Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas by Janis Herbert
The Art of Construction: Projects and Principles for Beginning Engineers and Architects by Mario Salvadori
Our Solar System by Seymour Simon
Exploring the Sky: Projects for Beginning Astronomer by Richard Moeschl (this needs some editing - good resource for parents, though)

Children's Reading List of Mexico (In Progress)

Blessed Miguel Pro by Ann Ball (older children or high school)
Count Your Way Through Mexico by Jim Haskins
Jose Finds the King: A Blessed Miguel Pro Story by Ann Ball
The Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie de Paola
The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie de Paola
My Heart Lies South: The Story of My Mexican Marriage by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
Nacar, The White Deer by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie de Paola

Children's Reading List of Europe by Country (in progress)

Europe:

Austria

The Story of the Trapp Family Sings by Maria Augusta Trapp
The World of the Trapp Family by William T. Anderson

Denmark

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

France

Cathedral by David Macaulay
The Clown of God by Tomie de Paola
Joan of Arc by Mark Twain
The Red Keep by Allen French
Saint Joan: Girl Soldier by Louis de Wohl
Saint Therese and the Roses by Helen Walker Homan
The Song at the Scaffold by Gertrud von Le Fort (high school)
Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop
Vincent de Paul: Saint of Charity by Margaret Ann Hubbard (Vision Series)

Germany

The Shadow of His Wings by Fr. Gereon Goldmann (high school)
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
Heroes of the Holocaust: Germany

Great Britain (England)

Augustine Came to Kent by Barbara Willard
The Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton (high school)
The Door in the Wallby Marguerite de Angeli
Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery
Father Brown Mysteries by G.K. Chesterton
The Hidden Treasure of Glaston by Eleanore Jewett
If All the Swords in England by Barbara Willard
The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Midshipman Quinn Collection by Showell Styles
Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot
Pride and Prejudice and others by Jane Austen (high school)
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Saint Thomas More of London by Elizabeth Ince

Greece

Hungary

The Good Master and The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy
Philomena by Kate Seredy
Saint Elizabeth's Three Crowns by Blanche Jennings Thompson

Ireland

Celtic Heritage Saints by Marian Keaney
The Cottage at Bantry Bay Series by Hilda Van Stockum
Fingal's Quest by Madeleine Polland
The King of Ireland's Son by Padraic Colum
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie de Paola
Red Hugh, Prince of Donegal by Robert T. Reilly

Italy

Francis and Clare: Saints of Assisi by Helen Walker Homan
Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi by Tomie de Paola
He Went with Marco Polo by Louise Andrews Kent
The Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica by Kathleen Norris
North to Freedom by Ann Holm
Saint Benedict: Hero of the Hills by Mary Fabyan Windeatt (Vision Series)
Saint John Bosco and Saint Dominic Savio by Catherine Beebe
Saint Pius X: The Farm Boy Who Became Pope by Walter Diethelm
Saint Thomas Aquinas and the Preaching Beggars by by Brendan Larnen, O.P. and Milton Lomask (Vision Series - Out of Print - also Germany and France)
The Small War of Sergeant Donkey by Maureen Daly
The Way of the Cross: A Story of Padre Pio by Claire Jordan Mohan

The Netherlands

Andries by Hilda Van Stockum
The Borrowed House by Hilda Van Stockum
The Winged Watchman by Hilda Van Stockum

Norway

Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan

Poland

Escape from Warsaw by Ian Serralier
Helen's Special Picture: A Children's Story of Sister Faustina by David Prevatelli
St. Maximillian Kolbe: The Story of Two Crowns by Claire Jordan Mohan
The Young Life of Pope John Paul II by Claire Jordan Mohan
The Young Life of Sister Faustina by Claire Jordan Mohan
Heroes of the Holocaust: Poland

Portugal

Scotland

The Outlaws of Ravenhurst by Sister M. Imelda Wallace

Spain

I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton De Trevino
Saint Ignatius and the Company of Jesus by August Derleth

Switzerland

My Children and the Papal Conclave

I barely remember the election of Pope John Paul II. I was eight years old, but don't remember watching the news coverage or anything. The thing I remember most clearly was my oldest sister writing to me from France (where she was living for a few years) to tell me that the Pope had the same birthday as me.

It was easy for Catholics of my generation (Generation X) to take Pope John Paul II for granted, yet we loved him a lot. He was a major shaping influence on the way we saw the world - even if not all of us accepted his message fully. If you consider two of the most prominent role models we had as children and teenagers - Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II - it's no wonder that we turned out more optimistic and pro-family-values than anyone expected.

It was just more of a shock to me than I expected when the Holy Father died. Peaceful, sad and at the same time joyful, but still a huge loss.

I really wanted my children to experience and remember the whole Papal Conclave and the announcement of the new pope. We took the whole day off on Monday, April 18 (first day of the Conclave) from "regular" schooling.

The big event was a special Mass at our local Marian Shrine celebrated by Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan. We had been talking about going to this Mass for at least a week, but I admit that I almost bugged out because we had a particularly tiring weekend (I spoke at our local Catholic homeschool conference and manned a table there all day Saturday) and a slow start to our morning. Well, we did make it, but with only ten minutes to spare. To our dismay, only the most distant parking lots had space (a walk up the hill with kids) but the weather was nice, they were enthusiastic and it wasn't a big problem at all.

We made it to the upper church with just a few minutes to spare and it was packed. I shuffled the kids into a little nook toward the back on one side of the church. Just then, all of the priests walked right past us to line up for the procession. They were followed by the Archbishop who stopped to put his hand on the children's heads and thank them for coming.

My father-in-law showed up during the processional song to direct us all the way around the Church to a little chapel (they call it the oratory) that faces the altar on one side where there were still some open seats. This was nice because the little ones (especially the 1 and 3 year olds) had a little breathing space and it was carpeted, so the noises weren't so sensitive. The older kids sat in front with their grandparents and were able to see the altar pretty well.

It was a beautiful Mass, filled with hope and faith. The Archbishop gave a wonderful homily and the children were "glowing". The Holy Spirit seemed especially present. The sheer number of people there (it is a very large church and there were people lined up all along the back and sides) was very moving. I just love Church singing when the Church is REALLY packed. :)

This was already a very special day for us, but lo-and-behold, the Archbishop looked over at all of us through the little "windows" between the oratory and the altar and decided to distribute communion to (50 or 60 of) us personally. I received communion with a toddler on each arm (receiving on the tongue is such a convenient, as well as beautiful thing sometimes!).

The children were walking on clouds all day. What a beautiful and memorable way to celebrate (and even participate in by prayer) the Papal Conclave. The oldest ones, at least, will never forget that.

Now, we heard that we should look for the white or black smoke from the Vatican at about 4 am and 11 am our time. We heard by the time we got home from Mass that there was no decision that day. That night my 9 year old son asked permission, if he was awake at 4 am the next morning to turn on EWTN (we watch it on the Internet) to check for the smoke himself. He was and he did, but the smoke was still black.

Later that morning (when I was awake, hehe), I remembered to turn on EWTN - I think it was about 10:15, but I didn't want to forget. I called the children over because smoke was already pouring out, although it looked black again. We all watched as the announcers (Arroyo and Neuhaus) concluded that there was still no decision. The smoke continued to pour out though and there was some noise and anticipation in the crowd. The camera panned back to the smoke and it looked white. As the announcers discussed in wonder that the smoke looked white, our excitement at home grew. It was many moments before there was certainty - some bells turned out to be only the Angelus bells. The crowd was getting more and more excited too, when finally the Vatican bells, followed by bells from all over Rome pealed out in joy. Habemus Papam!

We were literally jumping up and down. (And God Bless EWTN for offering this excellent coverage for free on the Internet!) Now all we could do was wait and wonder who the new pope was. We had heard that the announcement would be made in Latin. Apparently there is sometimes confusion about the name of the new pope because of the "translation" of the name into Latin. I figured we'd have to listen pretty carefully and maybe be able to figure it out. As we got closer to the announcement, the signal became a little choppy. I imagine there was a surge of Internet activity from all the interest in the announcement. Finally, some movement at the window and Pope John Paul II's coat of arms draped from the balcony. The picture and especially the audio are cutting in and out.

Finally Cardinal Estevez is on the balcony (remember the picture is pausing and jumping on us). We hear "Habemus Papam!" We're cheering right along with the crowd in Rome. We're straining to hear and understand. The audio is still jumping on us, but we hear, clear as a bell Ratzinger. How great is that? [grin - I worked for Ignatius Press in high school, so I've known about Cardinal Ratzinger for a LONG time!] He comes out on the balcony looking dignified but a little bewildered.

He gives an awesome opening :

"Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me — a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord.

"The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.

"In the joy of the risen Lord, trusting in his permanent help, we go forward. The Lord will help us and Mary his very holy mother stands by us."

and his blessing of course.

What a memorable two days for us - and especially my school age children. It is such an amazing time to be a Catholic (and the homeschooling doesn't hurt!). Viva il Papa and God Bless Pope John Paul the Great as well!

Okay - this stuff is really old - November 1997

Notes on our Family's Mission and Goals:

What do we want our family to be like?

laugh a lot together
talk a lot together
eat dinner together
love life and all God's creation
love learning - learn together (parents too)
ask lots of questions
develop our own traditions
draw from the best ideas and qualities of each of our families
live our Faith - live Life in Christ

"The first and last point of reference of this catechesis will always be Jesus Christ himself, who is 'the way, and the truth, and the life.' It is by looking to him in faith that Christ's faithful can hope that he himself fulfills his promises in them, and that, by loving him with the same love with which he has loved them, they may perform works in keeping with their dignity:
I ask you to consider that our Lord Jesus Christ is your true head, and that you are one of his members. He belongs to you as the head belongs to its members; all that is his is yours: his spirit, his heart, his body and soul, and all his faculties. You must make use of all these as of your own, to serve, praise, love, and glorify God. You belong to him, as members belong to their head. And so he longs for you to use all that is in you, as if it were his own, for the service and glory of the Father.
For to me, to live is Christ." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1698)

be active in various ways
say daily prayers together
be loyal when speaking of those not present

What do we want our home to be like?

comfortable, friendly and inviting - not too formal
organized and well-managed
the kind of place our children's friends would want to visit
full of children, laughter and good smells
obviously Catholic without flaunting it
"where charity and love prevail"
a center of learning for our children

What kind of parents do we want to be?

consistent
good examples in: loyalty, integrity, patience, charity

kind, but firm
affectionate
respectful of our children "in the best sense"

Ideas for good parenting...

Have one-on-one time regularly with each child
need to talk to each other about the kids frequently to ensure consistency - particularly in the area of discipline

What sort of education do we want to give our children?

1. one full of wonder and excitement
2. well-rounded
3. intertwined with our faith
4. one that will allow and encourage them to discover things on their own
5. give them space to learn without too many interruptions
6. liberal "in the best sense"
7. introduce and help them develop a taste for the best in art, music and literature
8. respect and encourage questions
9. we don't want to merely teach them things, but help them learn how to learn and think
10. strong on the basics - rooted in really understanding the concepts, not just drilling and memorizing
11. enable them to develop self-discipline

Ideas for giving them a good education...

Stay away from: sappy books; pre-digested ones that make ideas for you instead of making you think; twaddle; ugly materials (in addition to the obvious)

What do we want our children to be like?

i.e. things we want to encourage/develop in our children)

1. "be Catholic with the full consent of their faculties"
2. respectful of adults
3. love truth and beauty
4. anticipate what needs to be done and act on it
5. ability to finish what they start
6. not be dragged down by poor self-image nor puffed-up with pride
7. not lukewarm
8. healthy attitudes about money and belongings
9. positive attitudes in general

How do we want to handle our finances?

1. Donate to charity
2. live within our means
3. pay something extra on the mortgage each month
4. have some savings set aside for emergencies
5. avoid credit cards

Traditions and other things to imitate from our own families:

1. "yogi" (this is the Lawless family name for "time-out" in a corner
2. Christmas important, but moderation in presents
3. service activities - choir, politics, pro-life, etc.
4. athletics
5. "Half-a-Birthday" party for each baby
6. affection
7. working on projects together (home repair, etc.)
8. read books aloud (lots!)
9. Baby Jesus Birthday Cake
10. eat dinner together as often as possible
11. make birthdays special (e.g. pick out favorite food for dinner)

Skills we want our children to acquire:

1. Make and follow reasoned arguments
2. Basic principles of logic
3. Writing skills - essays, letters, stories, explanations, etc.
4. Research/Reference/Library Skills
5. Reading Comprehension
6. Good handwriting and typing skills
7. Critical Reading/Thinking
8. Fundamental Speaking Skills/Comfort
9. Musical Experience - Instrument and Singing
10. Cooking and Cleaning
11. Shopping/Consumer
12. Manners/Etiquette
13. Modesty
14. Dealing with Clothes
15. Hygiene and Deportment
16. Very Basic (at least to cover emergencies) Skills/Understanding of Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrical, Car Maintenace, Computer, etc.

Ancient Egypt (circa 1998)

Why do we study the civilization of Ancient Egypt?

Practically speaking...

Studying Ancient Egypt is a particularly fascinating adventure for children because of the abundance of interesting, and often colorful, artifacts. It's an excellent place to delve into the concepts of how we've come to learn about the past - including Archaelogy - and to continue to develop an interest in learning about History.

Spiritually speaking...

The story of Moses and the freeing of the Israelites is one of the most powerful and most important stories in the Old Testament. Who the Egyptians were is an important factor...this story would make the perfect climax to a study of Ancient Egypt.

For by now I could have put forth my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth; but for this purpose have I let you live, to show you my power, so that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. (Exodus 9:15-16)

Why Do We Study Math? (circa 1999)

Practically speaking... Math is one of the most essential skills necessary for "life as we know it." From handling money to basic home repairs, you can't function well without a basic foundation in math.

Developmentally speaking... Math studies train the mind in the most basic ideas of logic, cause and effect, order and the concept of truth.

On a more spiritual level... Studying Math can be an excellent opportunity to practice the virtues of patience, neatness, perseverance and obedience (for children AND their parents!). Making sense of the order of the world around us through the logic of Mathematics helps us in understanding, even to a small degree, our Creator as well.

What about "Catholic Math"? Some people interpret the words of Pope Pius XI, in his encyclical On Christian Education that "every subject should be permeated with Christian piety" as "every subject should be permeated with religion." They take this to mean that we need Catholic Math books in which word problems are about religious subjects in order to more fully fulfil this description of what a Catholic education should be.

Dr. Mary Kay Clark, in her book Catholic Homeschooling argues for the benefits of Math books with Catholic word problems as a response to those publishing Math texts with secular and/or anti-Christian content in the word problems. I think she sees it as a way of promoting Catholic culture in a day when Catholic culture is rather hard to find.

Although I agree that we need to promote a genuine Catholic culture as much as we can, I think we need to look at the idea of why we as Catholics study Math. We don't study Math in order to learn Religion and I think that some parents are missing that point.

I would go so far as to say that religious-themed word problems don't make a Math program more Catholic because that simply isn't the point. I think that a Math course that is truly Catholic would start with an understanding that there is truth and lead children clearly through the elements of what they need; wisely presenting the material in accordance with how children learn.

Children should be taught to pursue their studies for the greater glory of God. Discussions could touch upon order and design.

Our faith encompasses everything in our lives; not just those things which are explicitly religious. Religious word problems in Math texts certainly aren't bad in and of themselves, but I think it important that parents and teachers aren't confused into thinking that religious content fulfills our obligation as Catholics to teach our children Math.

What Math materials are problematic to our faith?

On a more superficial level, there are individuals and organizations attempting to promote their agenda (such as "normalizing" the homosexual lifestyle) through content of Math word problems. Clearly agenda-driven materials aren't worth bothering with. Besides, the Math probably won't be very good either.

A perhaps more substantial (to the field of Math), but subtle problem lies in books which attempt to destroy the truth, order, beauty and virtue we're looking for by denying that there is a right answer... (oops I lost the last page)

Why Do We Study Science? (circa 1999)

Why do we study Science?

The most important thing to remember about science is that it is the study of God's creation.

In the expanse of God's creation, from the world around us, to the depths of the universe, from the flowers of the field to the distant planets and stars, we find indescribable beauty, order, mystery, intricacy, vastness, wonder...

Even the simplest soul or one not ordinarily inclined to contemplation looks in awe upon a starry sky. Just a few moments spent gazing upon this awesome sight gives man a sense of how small he is... give shim some perspective on "what life's about."

We need to give our children this opportunity to dwell on God's wondrous creation on a regular basis. If the flowers God made are beautiful, how much more beautiful is God? If the universe is endlessly fascinating, capable of occupying man's attention for a lifetime and more, how much more great is God?

Although we can and should gently guide our children to these eternal truths found in Science, Nature is a most wonderful teacher... [more later]

"In studying nature we have not to inquire how God the Creator may, as He freely wills, use His creatures to work miracles and thereby show forth His power: we have rather to inquire what Nature with its immanent causes can naturally bring to pass. "
(St. Albert the Great circa 1200 AD)

"Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth.' 'Consequently, methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God. The humble and persevering investigator of the secrets of nature is being led, as it were, by the hand of God in spite of himself, for it is God, the conserver of all things, who made them what they are."
(The Catechism of the Catholic Church 159)

The Ratzinger Report

Funny thing, I've had this book The Ratzinger Report on my bookshelf for at least 15 years. My kids were very impressed when he became Pope Benedict XVI that I had a book of his with my maiden name written in it!

I finally started reading this yesterday and was surprised and delighted to find it more interesting and engaging than I had ever expected. All in God's good time, right?

The format is unusual. It is an interview with journalist Vittorio Messori. The text - and its subsequent translations - was afterwards approved by Cardinal Ratzinger

Here are a few notes and quotes:

Conservative vs. Liberal

We need to throw out the "formulations" of conservative/liberal or right/left when dealing with religious life [I think it's a very imperfect mold politically speaking as well]. Here is the quote...

"He is a man, then, wholly rooted in a religious life. And it is only by viewing things from his standpoint that one will really understand the meaning of what he says. From that perspective, all those schematic formulations conservative/progressive, right/left which stem from an altogether different sphere, namely, that of political ideologies, lose their meaning. Hence they are not transferable to the religious perspective which, to speak with Pascal, "is of another order which surpasses all the rest in depth and height." (from page 12)

Also see Schall on Liberal vs. Conservative

Two Errors about Vatican II

Vatican II has been highly misunderstood and manipulated by various people. Either of two extremes of rejection of Vatican II is incompatible with the faith. Let us rediscover the true Vatican II. Therein lies the solution to the crisis in the Church today.

"Vatican II today stands in a twilight. For a long time it has been regarded by the so-called progressive wing as completely surpassed and, consequently, as a thing of the past, no longer relevant to the present. By the opposite side, the 'conservative' wing, it is, conversely, viewed as the cause of the present decadence of the Catholic Church and even judged as an apostasy from Vatican I and from the Council of Trent. Consequently demands have been made for its retraction or for a revision that would be tantamount to a retraction...

Vatican II is upheld by the same authority as Vatican I and the Council of Trent, namely, the Pope and the College of Bishops in communion with him, and that also with regard to its contents, Vatican II is in the strictest continuity with both previous councils and incorporates their texts word for word in decisive points...

It is impossible to take a position for or against Trent or Vatican I. Whoever accepts Vatican II, as it has clearly expressed and understood itself, at the same time accepts the whole binding tradition of the Catholic Church, particularly also the two previous councils... It is likewise impossible to decide in favor of Trent and Vatican I, but against Vatican II. Whoever denies Vatican II denies the authority that upholds the other two councils and thereby detaches them from their foundation... Every partisan choice destroys the whole (the very history of the Church) which can exist only as an indivisible unity." (from pgs 28 and 29)

Purpose of Vatican II

"I should like to say that Vatican II surely did not want 'to change' the faith, but to represent it in a more effective way. Further, I should say that dialogue is possible only on the foundation of a clear identity. One can, one must be 'open', but only when one has something to say and has acquired one's own identity." (from page 35)

How to Reform the Church

"Whether Vatican II and its results will be considered as a luminous period of Church history will depend upon all the Catholics who are called to give it life. As John Paul II said in his commemoration of Borromeo in Milan: 'the Church of today does not need any new reformers. The Church needs new saints.'" (from page 43)

"Hence, true 'reform' does not mean to take great pains to erect new facades (contrary to what certain ecclesiologies think). Real 'reform' is to strive to let what is ours disappear as much as possible so what belongs to Christ may become more visible. It is a truth well known to the saints. Saints, in fact, reformed the Church in depth, not by working up plans for new structures, but by reforming themselves. What the Church needs in order to respond to the needs of man in every age is holiness, not management." (from page 53)

More later